Wahama blasts Lady Bison, 12-2

The Wahama softball team began its 2016 campaign with a 12-2, five-inning victory over defending Class A State Champion Buffalo, on Friday night in Putnam County.

The Lady Falcons (1-0) wasted little time grabbing a lead, as leadoff batter Rachel Roque drew a walk and later scored on a one-out, Olivia Hill double.

Wahama added on in the second frame, first when Taylor Warden walked and was doubled home by Amara Helton. Then, with two outs and the bases loaded in the second inning, Wahama senior Morgan Harrison blasted a grand slam homerun, making the WHS lead 6-0.

Buffalo made it a 6-2 game in the third inning, as Katlynn Rasnake and Cali Smith both reached on errors and later came around to score.

The Lady Falcons got those two runs right back, however, as Harrison went deep again in the top of the fourth frame, plating herself and Ashtyn Russell. Maddison Ferguson followed Harrison’s two-run homerun with a single and then scored on a double by Cynthia Hendrick.

Leading by a 9-2 clip, Wahama led off the top of the fifth with a triple by Roque, who then scored on a single by Russell. After two quick outs, an error allowed the Lady Falcons to stay alive in the top of the fifth inning. The Red and White took full advantage of the BHS mishap, as Hendrick drove in Harrison and Ferguson with a with a single.

The Lady Bison were retired in order in the bottom of the fifth and Lady Falcons claimed the 12-2 mercy rule victory over the team that eliminated them from the 2015 Region IV tournament.

WHS junior Taylor McGrew was the winning pitcher of record after allowing just one hit and two unearned runs in five innings, while striking out three. Wahama committed five errors in the contest, but retired the final nine Lady Bison in order.

Buffalo’s Amanda Christy suffered the setback in the circle, allowing 12 runs, 10 earned, on 12 hits and four walks in five innings of work. Christy struck out seven batters, while hitting one. The Blue and Gold committed just one error in the game.

Harrison led the Red and White at the plate, going 2-for-2 with a pair of home runs, to go with six runs batted in and three runs scored. Russell went 3-for-4 with three singles, two runs scored and one RBI, while Hendrick was 2-for-4 with a double, a single and three RBI.

Ferguson singled twice and scored twice, Roque tripled once and scored three runs, while Helton marked one double, one run scored and one RBI. Hill doubled and drove in one run for the Red and White, while Warden drew two walks and scored once.

Christy came up with Buffalo’s lone hit in the game, a one-out single in the bottom of the first inning.

The Lady Falcons will look to sweep the Blue and Gold on April 9, in Hartford.

Wahama — which hosted Hannan in a double header on Monday — returns to the diamond on Thursday when Point Pleasant visits Hartford.